You won’t believe that Steve McNulty is actually a brilliant footballer

This is Steve McNulty. He used to be a van driver on Merseyside but is now a professional footballer. A really good one at that – but nobody seems to believe it.

McNulty, nicknamed ‘Sumo’, became a viral hit this week when his Luton Town team won promotion back to the Football League. Many thought the barrel-bellied defender was perhaps a fringe player; more at home in a pub team than a title winning side.

But the 30-year-old is actually the team’s best player – their current Player of the Season award holder – and he’s set to take the football world by storm next season.

Nobody believes McNulty is a brilliant player (Picture: Getty)

At 6’1” and 14 stone (officially), on paper he’s smaller than your average defender, but he gets constant abuse about the way he looks.

‘I get stick but I’ve been like this since I was 15 and I went grey at 19,’ he told the Daily Mail.

‘People look at me and think I’m some old fella who has done the rounds and is about 40. I get it all the time. I’ve had it all – “you fat b******,” and “Who ate all the pies?” but it’s funny.’

They won’t be laughing though if they’ve watched this video of his latest wonder goal.

Or this one of his silky skills; pretty impressive at England’s fifth level of football.

McNulty is reported to be a transfer target for a number of different sides this summer, although Luton’s owner, the former BBC news reader Nick Owen, says he is crucial to the club and wouldn’t consider selling him anytime soon – with the club chasing another promotion next season.